Single lever control

ABSTRACT

A two-cycle control lever with a first bell-crank lever pivotally carried on a second bellcrank lever which is, in turn, pivotally mounted in a frame. A single control handle serves as a common input means for both levers, and since the axes of the levers are perpendicular, upon actuation the bellcrank levers simultaneously function as both a bearing and a lever.

United States Patent 1191 Schwerdtfeger June 26, 1973 [54] SINGLE LEVER CONTROL 3,541,877 11/1970 Honk 74/471 XY [75] Inventor: Wilbur E. Schwerdtfeger, Western FOREIGN PATENTS QR APPLICATIONS 644,255 4/1937 Germany 74/471 xv [731 Assignee: International Harvester Company,

Chicago, Ill. Primary Examiner-Milton Kaufman Nov- 24, Attorney-Floyd Harman 21 A l. N 201 869 l 1 PP 1 57] ABSTRACT 52 us. c1. 74/471 xv A ever with first ever 51 1m. (:1 I G05g 9/04 Pivmauy carried 3 bencank which [58] Field of sm th 74/471 xv 471 491 in Pivmally in a frame A single handle serves as a common input means for both levers, 56] References Cited and since the axes of the levers are perpendicular, upon actuation the bellcrank levers simultaneously function UNITED STATES PATENTS as both a bearing and a lever. 3,550,466 12/1970 Ham 74/471 XY 3,537,246 11/1970 Pool et a1 74/471 XY X 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a single lever twocycle control mechanism and more particularly to a single lever control wherein a series of bellcranks work together as bearings and levers to give moment to lever arms in opposed, coordinated or individual control.

Single lever control devices of many kinds are used for a considerable variety of coordinated actions in the prior art such as, flight control sequential hydraulic valves, hot and cold mixing valves, etc. These control levers present different problems in varying degrees, such as complexed gear relationships, jamming of the driving gears, involved servomechanical systems, and substantial dead time during activation or deactivation. Thus, there is a need for a simple rugged control assembly having few parts and a minimum number of bearing points to cut downon dead time.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a single lever two-cycle control aving parts working to- .gether as levers and bearings;

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a single lever two-cycle control having few bearing points and little dead motion;

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a single lever two-cycle control which can be augmented with additional levers and means to provide forces in a series of directions;

Still another object of this invention is to provide 'a single lever two-cycle control lever having bearing mounts located to give balanced loading through all movements.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent in the combination and arrangements of the constituent parts and in the details of constructionthereof by reference to the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a generally front view in partial section of one form of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side sectionalview of FIG. 1;.and

FIG. 3 is a top sectional view taken of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 is a single lever two-cycle control of the type ofapparatus to which the present invention applies. Shown is a mount or cover top secured on a suitable support member 12, both of which may be termed as the base. The single'lever two-cycle control is designated generally by the number 14.

A first bracket 16 is secured to the wall 18 of cover top 10 by any suitable means, such as by threaded engagement with bolts 20 and 22. The bracket member 16 comprises an apertured seating means or bushing means 24. In the preferred embodiment, the bushing means 24 comprises part of an aperture 28 in wall 18.

A second spaced apart bracket 32 is secured to the top means 10 at 30 and carries a second apertured seating means or bushing means 34. The bushing means 34 comprises a sleeve 35 which journals in aperture 36in the bracket wall 37, the outer surface 40 of sleeve 35 comprising the bearing surface.

It should be understood that bracket memkers l6 and 32 are bushing carrying means and as such, could be secured to the top cover 10 or to the support base 12, without deviating from the invention. Further, it is not necessary that the circumferential inner surfaces 38 and 40 comprise the inner race of the bushing surface, rather the bushing means can comprise independent grooves in the respective brackets, having center sections thereof removed to provide apertures.

A first bellcrank lever ,means 42 having an input means or means 44, an elbow means 46 and an output means or means 48 is pivotally secured to and extends between brackets 16 and 36. It should be noted that input means 44 is the single lever two-cycle control shaft means as well as the input means of a second bellcrank means 62 to be later discussed. The elbow means 46 comprises generally-two parallel spaced apart elongated members 50 and 52 fixed to each other and 54a, and 56a by a combination bridging/pivoting means 58 and .60. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 the bridging/pivoting means 58 and 60 of the rectangular open ended hollow frame elbow 46 comprise the outer race of a bushing and journal the corresponding inner race bushing part. It is apparent that output means 48 can be fixed to a hydraulic control M49 or it could be supplied with a ball and socket type means to redirect the force.

The output means 48 extends from end 54a, however, it is apparent that means 48 could be extended at any attitude such to control valve.

The input means 44 also functions as the single lever two-cycle control shaft'means actuating first bellcrank lever means 42 and a second bellcrank lever means 62. Second bellcrank lever means 62 is comprised of an input lever means 44, an elbow means 64 and an output lever means 67. The elbow pivots on a shaft-66. Shaft 66 also pivotally journals the parallel spaced apart elongated members 50 and 52 such that if the control handle 44, shown in FIG. 1, is moved within the plane of the paper, the second bellcrank lever means 62 is actuated pivoting on shaft 66. If the control handle, shown in FIG. I, is pivoted in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the paper, the second bellcrank lever is actuated pivoting in bushings 24 and 34. Thus, it is apparent that the two bellcrank levers 42 and 62 work together as bearings and levers to give movement to the lever arms in opposed coordinated or individual control. It should further be apparent that the apparatus will have very little dead time because of the avoidance of pivot points.

The output lever means 67 is cone-shaped, being fixed to the base of the control shaft 44, and extending through the apertured bushing 36. The end 72 of output lever means 67 can be provided with a ball and socket means 74 or bellcrank levers, tension means, etc. to redirect the force generated in control handle 44 prior to connection to a hydraulic valve. The same variations can be made provided on output means 48.

Thus a single lever two-cycle control is provided which consists of two bellcrank lever means having their pivot swings lying in perpendicular planes. The pivot point of the first bellcrank being bushings mounted in a frame means, while the pivot point of the a particular hydraulic second bellcrank is carried by the frame of the first thereby avoiding dead time associated with pivot points.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are but illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Numerous other arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A single lever control device comprising:

a control shaft;

first and second bushings having apertured cylindrical seating surfaces for circular edges;

a bellcrank lever with an elbow having cylindrical ends seating in said surfaces of said bushings and extending therebetween, and having an output arm means extending from said elbow radially and longitudinally beyond one said bushings, said control shaft comprising an input means thereof; and

a second bellcrank lever carried by the elbow of said first bellcrank, said control shaft being the input means thereof, and having an output means extending through said one of said'apertured bushings. 1

2. A single lever control device comprising:

a base;

a control lever;

first and second frame members spaced apart and fixed to said base, each having an aperture comprising the inner race of a cylindrical bushing;

a first bellcrank lever having an input means, an

elbow and output means, said output means extending from said elbow radially and longitudinally beyond one of said frame members,'said elbow being pivotally mounted in said cylindrical bushings and a second bellcrank lever having an input means, an

elbow and an output means, said elbow being pivotally mounted on said elbow of said first bellcrank, the major axes of said elbows being perpendicular, said output means of said second bellcrank lever extending through the aperture of one of said spaced apart frame members.

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1. A single lever control device comprising: a control shaft; first and second bushings having apertured cylindrical seating surfaces for circular edges; a bellcrank lever with an elbow having cylindrical ends seating in said surfaces of said bushings and extending therebetween, anD having an output arm means extending from said elbow radially and longitudinally beyond one said bushings, said control shaft comprising an input means thereof; and a second bellcrank lever carried by the elbow of said first bellcrank, said control shaft being the input means thereof, and having an output means extending through said one of said apertured bushings.
 2. A single lever control device comprising: a base; a control lever; first and second frame members spaced apart and fixed to said base, each having an aperture comprising the inner race of a cylindrical bushing; a first bellcrank lever having an input means, an elbow and output means, said output means extending from said elbow radially and longitudinally beyond one of said frame members, said elbow being pivotally mounted in said cylindrical bushings and a second bellcrank lever having an input means, an elbow and an output means, said elbow being pivotally mounted on said elbow of said first bellcrank, the major axes of said elbows being perpendicular, said output means of said second bellcrank lever extending through the aperture of one of said spaced apart frame members. 